1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cutting device and a method for manufacturing an absorptive article, in which a web is transported between a die roll and an anvil roll, and for cutting the web.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, the manufacturing method for an absorptive article, such as a disposable diaper, includes the following steps: 1) placing each of the members (e.g., a gather, a waterproof sheet, an absorber, and a top sheet) on a web; 2) cutting a leg opening region (e.g., a leg hole) corresponding to a leg opening portion; 3) folding the web in two; 4) and cutting the web to form an end-product absorptive article by using a cutting device (i.e., a product cut and shape). (See, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-38566 (See pages. 2-4 and FIG. 1).)
The web being transported to go to the cutting step (the above-described 4); the product cut and shape), that is, the web being cut by the cutting device, includes a continuous portion and a discontinuous portion. The continuous portion is continuous in a moving direction (hereinafter, an MD direction) of the web, and corresponds to a waistband region of the absorptive article. On the other hand, the discontinuous portion corresponds to a crotch region and the leg opening region located between a pair of waistband regions, and has the leg opening region formed therein, thereby being discontinuous in the MD direction.
Here, the above-mentioned cutting device includes: a die roll whose outer peripheral surface is provided with a cutting blade configured to cut the continuous portion of the web; an anvil roll disposed to face the die roll; a continuous portion transport unit configured to transport the continuous portion to a region (hereinafter, a press-contact region) in which the die roll and the anvil roll contact and press each other; and an article transport unit configured to transport the absorptive article obtained through cutting the web by the cutting blade.
The continuous portion is transported from the continuous portion transport unit to between the die roll and the anvil roll (that is, to the press-contact region). Then, the continuous portion of the web is cut by the cutting blade. The absorptive article obtained through the cutting is transported from between the die roll and the anvil roll (that is, from the press-contact region) to the article transport unit.
Incidentally, it is important that the end-product absorptive article have a cut surface substantially parallel to a direction (hereinafter, a CD direction) crossing the MD direction, since the cut surface inclined relative to the CD direction can possibly cause manufacturing defects (e.g., bond failure), a poor appearance, or the like in the absorptive article.
In the above-mentioned conventional cutting device, however, the continuous portion of the web traveling from the continuous portion transport unit to the press-contact region is unheld/unnipped by the continuous portion transport unit. Similarly, the absorptive article traveling from the press-contact region to the article transport unit is unheld/unnipped by the article transport unit.
This can possibly lead to a displacement of the cut surface of the web when the cutting blade cuts the web. As a result, the continuous portion of the web may be cut in a displaced position. This causes the problem that the cut surface may be inclined relative to the CD direction, thereby causing the manufacturing defects or poor appearance in the absorptive-article obtained through the cutting.
The present invention has therefore been made in consideration of the above-described problems inherent in the related art. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cutting device and a manufacturing method for an absorptive article, which can suppress the manufacturing defects or poor appearance caused in the absorptive article.